It Can't Happen Here
by Bennett S Cohen, Sinclair Lewis, Tony Taccone, John C. Moffit

Name: It Can't Happen Here
Brand: Bennett S Cohen
SKU: 9780822237068
Rating: 4.21 (598 reviews)

It Can't Happen Here Book Cover — It Can't Happen Here Cover

Highlights

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Large Cast

Female

Male

120 mins1930sEnsemble CastExpandable CastingFlexible Cast SizeUnit Set/Multiple SettingsPeriod CostumesAmerican Adaptation

What readers are saying

Readers find this play powerfully relevant and thought-provoking, especially in today's political climate. Many appreciate its sharp wit and historical significance, highlighting the parallels between the story and current events. The work is seen as both a reminder of the dangers of authoritarianism and a call to awareness regarding the present state of democracy.

Timely and relevant themesSharp and witty dialogueProvocative and thought-provokingPowerful exploration of fascismSome find it a challenging read

Synopsis

From the back cover: Sinclair Lewis' eerily prescient 1935 novel gets a fresh update in this stage adaptation that examines what brings citizenry to the point of sacrificing its own freedom and how a courageous few can prevail to overcome the fall.

A cautionary dark satire about the fragility of democracy and how fascism can take hold even in the 'land of liberty,' the plot follows the ascent of a demagogue who becomes President of the United States by promising to return the country to greatness.

Witnessing the new President's tyranny from the sidelines is a liberal, middle-class newspaper editor from Vermont who trusts the system will fix itself - until he ends up in a prison camp.

Flexible staging and casting - even with some audience participation - help make IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE a remarkable theatrical event.

Press Reviews

"It Can't Happen Here [drives] relentlessly toward believable, shudder-worthy horrors."
— East Bay Express

"A thought-provoking and effective reminder that democracies are fragile things."
— SFist

"Deeply relatable… harrowing… [It Can't Happen Here's] point [is] that demagogues flourish when thinking but complacent members of a society fail to rise up and act as a collective."
— San Francisco Chronicle

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Adelaide Tarr Gimmitch	—	—	—
Lorinda Pike	—	—	—
Crowd Member 1	—	—	—
Crowd Member 2	—	—	—
Doremus Jessup	—	—	—
Frank Tasbrough	—	—	—
R.C. Crowley	—	—	—
David Greenhill Offstage	—	—	Offstage
Emma Jessup	—	—	—
Mary Jessup Greenhill	—	—	—
Sissy Jessup	—	—	—
Julian Falck	—	—	—
Philip Jessup	—	—	—
Dr. Fowler Greenhill	—	—	—
Radio Announcer Offstage	—	—	Offstage
Bishop Prang	—	—	—
Buck Titus	—	—	—
Shad Ledue	—	—	—
Man 1	—	—	—
Man 2	—	—	—
Man 3	—	—	—
Man 4	—	—	—
Man 5	—	—	—
Woman 1	—	—	—
Woman 2	—	—	—

+ 26 more characters

Available Editions

Format	Publisher	Year	Pages	ISBN-13	Price
Audio	—	2016	—	9781504768207	—
Hardcover	—	2007	526	9781585479641	—
Hardcover	—	2022	260	9781645941644	—
Loose Leaf	—	1970	1	9780451159366	—
Mp3 Cd	—	2016	—	9781504768214	—
Paperback	Dramatists Play Service	2017	103	9780822237068	A$1.00
Paperback	—	2017	400	9780241310663	—
Paperback	—	1970	—	9780451044129	—
Paperback	—	1970	—	9780451057600	—
Paperback	—	1970	—	9780451066169	—
Preloaded Digital Audio Player	—	2009	—	9781433274794	—
Print	—	2014	416	9780451465641	—
Print	—	2005	383	9780451216588	—
Print	—	2005	400	9780451529299	—
Print	—	1993	331	9780451525826	—
Print	—	2014	416	9780698152700	—
Print	—	2017	—	9780241310670	—
Print	—	—	—	9781433222085	—
Print	—	1970	—	9780451093868	—
Print	—	2018	—	9781983115592	—
Print	—	1970	—	9780451130426	—
Print	—	2016	376	9781496101488	—
Print	—	2014	374	9781500830137	—
Print	—	—	—	9781433222054	—
Print	—	2022	—	9781804470091	—
Print	—	—	—	9780404201586	—
Print	—	—	—	9781504768221	—
Print	—	2018	436	9781986790338	—
Print	—	—	—	9781504768245	—
Print	—	—	—	9781433222061	—
Print	—	—	—	9781455193035	—
Print	—	—	—	9781483057927	—
Print	—	2018	376	9781985600751	—
Print	—	2014	376	9781496171184	—
Print	—	—	—	9781433222092	—
Print	—	—	—	9780735253315	—
Print	—	—	—	9780616942703	—
Print	—	—	—	9781433222115	—
Print	—	2015	376	9781515000587	—
Print	—	2018	376	9781719556149	—
Print	—	—	—	9781504768252	—
Print	—	—	—	9781804470626	—
Print	—	—	—	9798212479905	—
Print	—	2017	284	9781544201368	—
Print	—	—	—	9798868752513	—
Print	—	—	—	9781504768191	—
Print	—	—	—	9781982486037	—
Print	—	—	—	9798330360659	—
Print	—	2016	—	9781772440300	—
Print	—	—	—	9781916700949	—